A DAD was brought back from the brink of death by heroic firefighters who dragged him from his burning home.

William Bodden, 49, ran back into his smoke-logged house in Colwyn Bay in the early hours of yesterday after his wife and her children escaped safely.

The fire took hold in the bathroom when candles toppled over and burned through the fabric of the bath, sending toxic fumes billowing through the house.

His wife Jackie was woken by a crackling sound and realised the air was full of acrid smoke.

She got her husband William, son Philip Copland, 23, daughter Hayley Copland, 13, and Philip&#x2019;s girlfriend Lydia Veale, 17, out of the house and raised the alarm.

But Mr Bodden chose to go back in and, overcome by the poisonous smoke, collapsed at the top of the stairs.

The house in Erskine Road has three smoke alarms fitted, but none of them contained batteries. A senior fire officer has condemned what he called the parents&#x2019; &#x201c;Russian roulette with the safety of loved ones&#x201d;.

Fire crews found Mr Bodden unconscious and not breathing and at first feared he was already dead.

Watch manager Neil Powell, 41, said they had to work fast to save him.

He said: &#x201c;It was very distressing. Some of the other crew members thought the casualty might be dead.

&#x201c;He had a possible pulse to his neck. I listened to his mouth, but there was no sign of breathing. I extended his neck and I put the resuscitator to his mouth. Luckily he started to respond.&#x201d;

Jackie, 48, who works as a carer at a home, said: &#x201c;My husband was carried out by stretcher and taken to hospital. When they brought him out we thought he was dead. It was awful. We are very lucky to be alive.

&#x201c;It&#x2019;s a good job I woke up. I got everyone out.&#x201d;

She told how she pleaded with her husband not to return inside their burning home.

&#x201c;I said &#x2018;don&#x2019;t go in the house, there&#x2019;s nothing there to save only clothes upstairs&#x2019; but he went running back in and didn&#x2019;t come back out. It was shocking. I was in shock.&#x201d;

Paramedics took Mr Bodden to Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, Bodelwyddan, suffering from smoke inhalation and he has since made a full recovery.

The bathroom was gutted in the fire and there is smoke damage to the remainder of the first floor. Jackie said they were now homeless.

North Wales Assistant chief fire officer Paul Claydon said the family had had a &#x201c;lucky escape&#x201d;.

&#x201c;The fact that parents appear willing to play Russian roulette with the safety of their loved ones is incomprehensible to me,&#x201d; he said.

&#x201c;How can anyone justify risking the lives of their family by not taking up these free home safety checks?

&#x201c;I am personally urging everyone living, working and visiting North Wales to wake up to the very real dangers of fire and ensure the safety of those who matter to them most.&#x201d;